Police say Earl Kerr was beaten by son before he was found dead in Alexandria home

ALEXANDRIA TWP. — The criminal complaint charging Roy J. Kerr of Alexandria Township with aggravated assault alleges that he “committed the crime of aggravated assault by repeatedly punching and striking the victim in the abdomen and chest, purposely and knowingly causing serious bodily injury to Earl J. Kerr.”

Earl, Roy’s father, was found dead soon afterward.

The complaint, signed by State Trooper Jason Ficke of the Kingwood station, indicates that the attack took place on or about Thursday, Dec. 26.

Both of the Kerrs lived in the same house on Tinsman Road. On Friday, Dec. 27, a trooper stopped there in response to a family member who had asked the police to perform a welfare check at the residence. That’s how the body of Earl Kerr, 75, was found.

An investigation by State Police and Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office detectives ensued, resulting in the arrest of the victim’s 55-year-old son, Roy, that same day.

As to why Roy Kerr has been charged with aggravated assault instead of homicide, Kearns would only say on Monday, “The investigation is ongoing.”

Kerr’s body was taken to the Hunterdon County Medical Examiner’s Office where an autopsy was performed to determine the cause and manner of death. Those results have not yet been announced.

Roy Kerr, who made his first court appearance on Dec. 30, is in the county jail charged with second-degree aggravated assault. Bail is set at $100,000. A second-degree crime is punishable by a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

“This remains an open and active investigation,” Kearns said Monday. Anyone with information about this incident can submit anonymous tips by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-321-0010, by going to crimestoppershunterdon.com, or by text messaging “HCTIPS” plus your tip message to 274637 (CRIMES). All tips are anonymous and kept confidential.